Best Practices From US Soccer

TABLE OF CONTENTS
BEST PRACTICES FOR COACHING SOCCER IN THE UNITED STATES 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.3
II. Basic Ideas to Consider When Coaching Youth Soccer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.4
III. Age Appropriate Recommendation for the U-6 to U-18 Age Groups. . . . . . . . . . . p.6
IV. Encourage Creativity and Ball Skills Before Tactics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.6
V. Ball Control and Creativity: 6-12 years old: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.11
Pre Academy Level: U-6 through U-8
U-6: K and 1st graders
U-8: 1st and 2nd graders
VI. Ball Skill, Creativity & Gradual Insight Into the Game: 10-14 years old. . . . . . . p.19
Academy Level: U-10 through U-12
U-10: 3rd and 4th graders
U-12: 5th and 6th graders
VII. How to Function in a Group: 14-16 years old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.33
Junior Level: Teenage years
VIII. Competition and Outcome: 17 years and older . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.41
Senior Level: U-18 years old and above
IX. Appendix A - Player Development Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.47
X. Appendix B - Player Development in the United States:
Maintaining a Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.51
XI. Appendix C - 2005 Women’s National Team Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.61

UNITED STATES SOCCER FEDERATION
USSOCCER.COM2

INTRODUCTION
Best Practices
for Coaching Soccer
in the United States
Introduction
The scope of coaching education in the United States is as large as the country itself. As our
society is woven with the threads of many cultures, so is our soccer the product of the styles and
experiences of the many diverse communities across the country.While this presents us with a set
of challenges that are unique to the United States, this diversity also helps to continually breathe
life into our soccer community. It is against this backdrop that U.S. Soccer approaches its
responsibility for helping to prepare coaches to bring the game of soccer to our young players.
There is not just “one way” to teach soccer to players, nor is there just one style of coaching.
There is a broad spectrum of styles and methods for how each of us experiences the game. Some
of this comes from our backgrounds, while some of this also is the product of our own
personalities. At the youth and junior levels, however, there is a set of fundamental principles that
must be considered by anyone involved with soccer. In general, young soccer players require a
certain amount of uninterrupted play. This allows them to experience soccer first hand. They
should be allowed the opportunity to experiment, and with that, succeed and fail.
The coach’s long term goal is to prepare the player to successfully recognize and solve the
challenges of the game on his or her own. It is vital that the coach approaches soccer with this
in mind.
This document is designed to give youth and junior level coaches a basic set of ideas that can help
open up the game of soccer to children in ways that celebrate the spontaneous qualities of soccer.
It is not designed to give the coach the “secrets” of the game. There are no secrets. This is part of
soccer’s beauty.
This document represents a series of recommendations that have been compiled and reviewed by
U.S. Soccer’s Coaching Education staff and the Men’s and Women’s National Team staffs. It
presents a compilation of what U.S. Soccer considers to be an appropriate, comprehensive and
responsible approach to developing sound soccer players.

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Basic Ideas to Consider
When Coaching Youth Soccer
The most fundamental skill in soccer is individual mastery of the ball and the creativity that comes
with it. This should be a priority in training and games, especially in the early years. As this skill
is mastered, the rest of the game becomes easier - both to teach and to learn. Practices should be
built around facilitating the development of the skills necessary to move and control the ball well.
As these individual skills and the creativity to make them come alive in the game are developed
to a level of competence, the finer points, first of passing skill and later of team organization can
be taught.
The town and club coaches who work with our youth and junior players on a daily basis play a
fundamental role in the development of soccer players in this country. Towns and clubs should
strive to place experienced coaches who have a clear understanding of the value of teaching
technique at the youth and early junior levels. Equally important is the coach’s personality and
character. Working with 6- to 14-year-old children requires patience, kindness and respect.
Coaching soccer can be confusing at times because the game changes dramatically as the players
improve in both skill and physical ability. When coaching young, developing players, as well as
the adolescent players, U.S. Soccer feels it is helpful to keep the following ideas at the forefront
of your mind:
1) Set up situations where the players can learn by playing the game. The game is the best
teacher for young players.
2) Coaches can often be more helpful to a young player’s development by organizing less,
saying less and allowing the players to do more. Set up a game and let the kids play. Keep
most of your comments for before and after practice and during water breaks. Comments
should be kept short and simple. Be comfortable organizing a session that looks like pickup
soccer.
3) Teaching and learning the game of soccer is a process: make your goals seasonal, as well as
daily and weekly. Often, at the younger ages, the developmental efforts of one season are not
noticeable in children until sometime in the next season.
4) Set age-appropriate goals i.e., know what the child is able to do at that age.
5) From a developmental standpoint, the young ages are the best ones for learning skills. Spend
the time now encouraging this growth. By the age of 17 the capacity to pick up new motor
skills begins to wane, while the ability to conceptualize team organization, tactics and
strategy increases. As a coach, work with these strengths, not against them.

INTRODUCTION
6) Do not expect games and practices to look like professional soccer. If you want to use high
level soccer as a teaching tool, focus on the individual skill level of professional players, not
their organization. Give your players opportunities to see what older, more skilled players,
i.e., a high school, college player or an older brother or sister, can do with the ball. On
occasion, invite some of these players to participate in your practice. Use them to model good
soccer qualities. Let your players learn by experiencing the game alongside or against these
better players. Older players can also be used as “neutral players.” In this case, the neutral
player helps whichever team has the ball i.e., he or she never defends. Maybe that neutral
player has limited touches and/or can’t score, but he or she gives the team with the ball a
better chance of keeping the ball. By helping to maintain possession, the neutral player(s)
helps the game maintain some rhythm, and gives the kids a clearer picture of the game’s
possibilities.
7) Recognize and understand how the skills learned at each age are connected to preparing the
player to move into the next phase of his or her development. Know what the next level of
play is, and the general tools that your players should carry with them as they move on. Help
them to be prepared.
8) Allow your players to develop these requisite skills in an environment where the main goal
is to have fun with the ball.
9) The value of matches is that they provide youngsters with an opportunity to showcase their
newly acquired skill and creativity. It is always nice to win, however that should not be your
focus at the younger age groups (through 14 years).
10) Have a clear idea of what it is you want to accomplish at practice. Create exercises/games
that replicate and repeat the movements and situations that are found in soccer and that allow
the player to grow comfortable and confident with the ball at his or her feet. Encourage
players to move with the ball at his or her feet and deal with boundaries, opponents,
teammates and goals. Keep in mind that soccer is a pretty simple game. If you are involved
in soccer for long enough, you begin to realize that all the many little games that work are
really just variations on the same basic concepts. As long as the parameters that you have
established in your exercises/small-sided games are true to soccer (goals for scoring and
defending), creates the problems that you want the kids to solve (protecting the ball while
dribbling, etc.), and allows your players to be challenged and find some success, you’re on
the right track.
11) Don’t be afraid to experiment to find what works best.
12) Remember that the game is the best teacher for the players. Coaches and parents should think
of themselves more as facilitators, monitors, guides or even participants, to provide a rich
environment for the kids to learn from and enjoy.

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Age Appropriate Recommendations
for the U-6 to U-18 Age Groups
The following pages represent U.S. Soccer’s recommendations on best practices in soccer
according to the player’s chronological age, from Under-6 through Under-18. It is just as
important, however, to consider the players’ “soccer age” (i.e., his or her level of soccer
competence), when determining themes to address in practice and matches. Remember that these
recommendations are based on the assumption that the players have the ball skill necessary to
move onto the next level of challenges. It is the responsibility of the coaches to continually
evaluate and assess the needs of their players so that they can play soccer at the appropriate level.
Parents and coaches alike should also take care to give their players a variety of playing
experiences so that they are able to find some games where they are more challenged and some
games where it is a little bit easier. In this case, it is the responsibility of the adults to evaluate this
on a team and individual basis.
Encourage Creativity
and Ball Skills Before Tactics!
The youth coach has an important role in encouraging the development of these fundamental
tools. One of the goals of this coaching guide is to introduce parents/youth coaches to an approach
to coaching youth players that 1) embraces the lessons that are found in the game itself, and 2) is
player-centered rather than coach-centered.
What does this mean? Consider the following comments by Hans Bongers on the growth of soccer
around the world in the last 30 years, and how adults/coaches have approached player-
development:
Organized soccer "boomed" in the seventies. Not only did the number of people around the
world who play in leagues drastically increase, also the age at which the youngest kids could
start to play official games went down to 5 years and even younger. Parallel to this, many
well organized coaching clinics and soccer schools, based on different educational theories
were created, all hoping that a new Pele or (Johan) Cruyff would emerge from them and the
brilliant collective play of the Brazilian team in the sixties and the Dutch ("total soccer")
team of the early seventies could be reproduced. In the last decade many soccer associations
from different countries have asked themselves how (even if!) soccer can be taught. (Hans
Bongers: Somagic Street Soccer/ www.streetsoccer.hypermart.net).
By default, the well-intentioned and seemingly reasonable approach of many youth coaches is to
look to adult soccer as their guide to teaching the game. What most youth coaches find helpful in

INTRODUCTION
the adult game is the organization and positional responsibilities (tactics) that the adult players
exhibit so well. They are concepts that adults can understand well and so, as coaches, many tend
to bring an organizational or tactical approach to coaching youth. Coaches often focus on keeping
the players under control and teaching what appears to be the basics of the game: organization,
positions, tactics, how to prepare to win games. We choose order over apparent chaos. It is
tempting to strive to have the youth games look like adult games, with kids holding their own in
set positions, organized and disciplined. The magic of the Dutch players of the early seventies, or
Brazil’s great players of the sixties, however, was not created from an organized practice routine.
It began when they were children, in pickup games where the player and the game were the
dominant factors. There were neither adults nor a set schedule of mandatory practices and games.
That said, we live in a different world today. Adult supervision is often necessary to ensure proper
safety. The presence of adults, however, does not have to inhibit the opportunity for children to be
creative and experimental in their approach to learning soccer.
Manfred Schellscheidt, Boys U-14 National Team Head Coach, describes the scene that many of
our beginner level players face in the following quote:
Let us take a look at what typically happens to our youngsters as they are introduced to the
sport of soccer. Day one for most of our players is probably the day mom and dad registers
them with the local or the town recreation league. Based on the number of applicants, teams
are formed, coaches assigned, and playing fields coordinated. The available fields serve all
ages and are quite often adult dimensions. And so the games begin. Children that may have
never previously kicked a ball are faced with the ultimate challenge - playing eleven v eleven
on a field too big for them. Are we really surprised that they cannot do this? But do not
worry; this is where the coach comes in. He or she is the one who is called on to fix and
remedy the situation. With the help of positioning, the players are spread all over the field
and told, ‘This is how the big guys do it. The ones who just won the World Cup.’ Since this
proved to be the winning formula, we must all learn from them and imitate them. (Manfred
Schellscheidt: Experimenting With The Game).
In reality, what is needed from the youth coach is quite different. Again, we need to keep in mind
that most of the great soccer players today played their early soccer in unsupervised games.
“International conferences about this topic often conclude that well-intended coaches and
parents should try to withdraw from influencing young players too much, if not completely.
It is suggested that if you do want to train young players the emphasis should be on ‘play and
fun’ and various smaller versions of the 11-against-11 game have seen the light. One concept
that pops up more and more in all these discussions is ‘Street Soccer.’ ‘The streets’ (alleys,
parks, beaches ... ) being the mysterious setting where brilliant players like Pele and Cruyff
– and their fellow magicians in other sports – developed in a natural way.” (Hans Bongers:
Somagic Street Soccer).

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A primary focus for the coach at the youth level, through the U-12 age group, is to provide an
environment that comes close to simulating the “pickup” games of our youth. In this setting much
of the creativity and personality of kids developed naturally, without the involvement of adults.
Kids need to be allowed to play freely, develop their skills and use them in a creative manner.
Coaches should organize only so far as it helps to create this environment. Again, Manfred
Schellscheidt comments on this idea of “street soccer” and how the coach can help to create this
environment.
Beside the games, what do our training sessions look like? Are they mobile or static? Are the
players free to experiment and learn from the game or are they constantly instructed? Is
there room for trial and error, or are they simply told what to do and where to go?
(Breathing life into soccer) ... is more about converting our training sessions into some form
of street soccer in which players, with the help of the coach, experiment with the basic
elements of the game in a competitive way... Learning (in this case, soccer) is about
experimenting with new things and relating to them. Mastery means coming to grips with
things we have experimented with, often with repetition. It is all about developing an
understanding and feel for the game. The lessons for all of us will come from the game and
so will the answers. In the beginning the person and the game are separate, maybe even far
apart. When things get good, the game and the person become one. (Manfred Schellscheidt:
Experimenting With The Game)
With this in mind, try to encourage comfort with the ball and the confidence to use this skill
creatively. Encourage the dribbler at the younger ages; your team of 8 to 10 year olds should be
full of them. Dribbling, at the younger ages, is the child’s attempt to gain control over the ball.
Controlling the ball is the primary skill that every other skill in soccer depends upon. Although
controlling the ball may seem to be a simple task, it actually takes an enormous amount of the
child’s energy. Do not expect him or her to look to pass or to pass with any level of competence
or awareness, until he or she has first mastered this skill. Consider these two points. Children from
about age 6 to 12 have an almost limitless capacity to learn body movement and coordination (i.e.,
motor skills). At the same time, their intellectual capacity to understand spatial concepts like
positions and group play is limited. Work to their strengths.
CONSIDER THIS: At the younger ages (6 to about 10), soccer is not a team sport. On the
contrary, it is a time for children to develop their individual relationship with the ball. The fact
that younger children are placed into team environments is not their fault. Do not demand that
the more confident players share the ball. Encourage them to be creative and go to goal. Do the
same with the rest of your players. Work to bring all your players up to that level of confidence
and comfort with the ball. Coaches should avoid the impulse to “coach” their players from
“play to play” in order to help them win the match. Coaches should not be telling their young
players to “pass rather than dribble,” to “hold their positions” or to “never” do something (like
pass or dribble in front of the goal).

INTRODUCTION
Many kids who have been involved in organized soccer will often look to pass the ball or kick the
ball down field as their first option. They have been taught to “share” the ball or they have
learned that the best way to keep from making a “mistake” with the ball at their feet is to kick
it away as fast as possible. For this reason, it helps if the coach continually encourages the
players to make dribbling their first option. It may also help to make the players take at least
two touches on the ball before they can look to pass. Remember that making mistakes at these
early ages is a very important part of the player’s learning and development. Encourage risk-
taking and applaud effort.

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BALL CONTROL AND CREATIVITY
Ball Control and Creativity:
6 - 12 years old
PRE ACADEMY LEVEL:
U-6 through U-12 Age Groups
U-6: K and 1st graders
Soccer at these ages should be discouraged in any form other than as a fun activity for kids, that
happens to includes a soccer ball. There should be groups of players rather than teams. Fees
should be nominal. Attendance should be optional. Creating a joyful environment is mandatory.
I SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS AGE:
Five- and six-year olds are too young to be involved in any structured, organized soccer program.
At most, they should be involved in fun activities that encourage the children to explore their
physical abilities, while also including a ball with which to play. Make sure these are activity-
based games that emphasize exploration and experimentation with the rolling, spinning, and
bouncing qualities of the ball. The soccer ball should be considered a toy. There should be no
activities where players wait in lines to perform a pre-determined movement or required action.
Five- and six- year olds, although still young, are beginning to gain more control over their bodies.
At the same time, it is still new to them and they will require a lot of time and energy figuring out
what their bodies can do, and how to use this developing coordination. Children at this age also
love to use their imagination when they play. Keep this in mind when designing games. They
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 3 v 3 is best option for these ages
GK Status: Goalkeepers should not be used
Field Size: 4 v 4 (40 yards x 25 yards)—3 v 3 (30 yards x 20 yards)
Ball Size: 3
When ball goes out of bounds, the game is restarted with a kick-in or dribble-in. No throw-ins.

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enjoy playing on their terms, and as a by-product of their play, they will gain some limited comfort
with the ball. Although they love to play, their ability to stay focused on any one thing is very
limited. Keep your activities short and simple. Finally, even as they are steadily developing
physical and mental abilities, they are still very young. Always treat children with care, patience
and give plenty of encouragement. It can be helpful to include parents in the practice/play time so
they can take ideas home with them to their backyards or parks. If children must be involved in
these organized practice times, they should be having so much fun that when they go home, the
soccer ball becomes one of their favorite toys.
I DURATION OF PRACTICE; RATIO OF BALL TO CHILD AT PRACTICE
30 to 45 minutes is the best option for these ages. Most of the practice should be spent in ratios
of one ball per child or one ball per two children.
I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING DURING PRACTICE
The children should be having fun with the ball. There should be periods of active playing where
everyone is involved, and there should be ample opportunities for short breaks for water and for
catching their breath. If there is more than one adult/coach, the children should be divided into
smaller groups, with at least one adult per group. At these young ages, children work hard and tire
quickly. Allow them to have “active rests,” where they are not running but are trying to do
something specific with the ball, often sitting or standing. Everyone should be occupied with
something, even when resting. Keep the numbers from 1 v 1 to 3 v 3 and keep as many children
actively involved with a ball as possible. Let them go to small goals with no goalkeepers. When
possible, a size 3 soccer ball should be used.
I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN MATCHES
U.S. Soccer recommends that there be no organized matches at this age. Consistently set up mini
games at practice for your kids to compete with and against each other, according to their age.
I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION THAT IS COMMUNICATED
TO THE PLAYERS BY THE COACH
At these ages, the coach/parent should be positive and encouraging of each child. Specific soccer-
related information should be limited to basic ideas of how to best keep the ball from running out
of bounds too often. There should not be any discussions about positions or any other team
concepts.
CONSIDER THIS: At these young ages, the primary goal is to make the player’s experience
with soccer so enjoyable that when he or she has a choice of activities, he or she choose to play
soccer on his or her own.

I BEST QUALITIES OF A COACH FOR THIS AGE PLAYER
Patience, good humor, and a willingness to see the world through a child’s eyes. Also, the
ability to speak their language and accept that the children’s play will not look at all like soccer.
I NUMBER OF MATCHES PER CALENDAR YEAR
Children at these ages should not be playing any organized games. Playing with and against
their teammates during practice times is sufficient and is to be encouraged.
I BREAKS FROM ORGANIZED/MANDATORY SOCCER
Children at this age should be able to play when they want to play, and walk away when they
are through.
I TRAVEL
None.
I STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
None.
I TOURNAMENTS, FESTIVALS, ETC.
None.

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U-8: 1st and 2nd Graders
Soccer is still all about having fun with the ball and encouraging the children to want to have the
ball at their feet. The numbers should still be one and two players to a ball.
I SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS AGE
These children are still young. By the end of this phase, (around eight- years-old) children are
beginning to be able to apply past experience to the present situation. For example, at a simple
level, they can remember what they were shown or what they tried with the ball from last practice.
At the same time, this ability is not present on a consistent basis. They are still not able to imagine
consequences (i.e., if you do this, what will happen?). Let them learn through experience.
Do not attempt to replicate organizational schemes that you have seen older teams doing. Seven and
eight year olds are not capable of playing anything that resembles organized soccer. For example,
team concepts such as combination play or positions should not be introduced at this age.
Do use older players as mentors and role models. Often the younger players will learn simply by
watching how the older players move or by what they can do with the ball.
GOALS FOR PRACTICE, GAMES AND SEASON
I PRACTICE:
There should be a lot of playing with the ball in small numbers for relatively short periods of time.
A key focus for this age is to encourage players not to fear the ball. Give each player plenty of
opportunities to experience the ball at his or her own pace. For example, organizing games where
there are multiple goals and balls for the players to work with. Also, games where they are
changing direction and changing how fast they run, and dealing with balls on the ground and with
bouncing balls.
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 3 v 3 is best option for these ages
GK Status: Optional. Players should not be limited to playing one
“position”
Field Size: 4 v 4 (40 yards x 25 yards)—3 v 3 (30 yards x 20 yards)
Ball Size: 3
When ball goes out of bounds, the game is restarted with a kick-in or dribble-in. No throw-ins.

“I don’t believe skill was, or ever will be, the result of coaches. It is a result
of a love affair between the child and the ball” – Manfred Schellscheidt
I DURATION, RATIO OF BALL: CHILD
Practices should last 45 to 60 minutes. For most of the practice, each player should be actively
involved with a ball. Games of 1 v 1 or games up to 3 v 3 with multiple balls involved (2:1 ratio
of player to ball) and games to goals are also enjoyable and effective for this age.
No Lines. No laps. No Lectures. Attendance is still optional. Provided there is adequate
supervision, children at this age should be allowed to come in and out of practice as they please.
At this point, if you have not already done so, you may want to introduce some boundaries.
However, don’t allow the boundaries of the environment to hinder the training time by producing
frequent stoppages of play because the ball goes ‘out of bounds.’ Try to keep the flow of the game
going. Encourage informal play without pressure to “perform.” Encourage the basic skills and give
the players a lot of time with the ball. This will ultimately build their confidence. Make sure to
always include games to goals.
Similar to the U-6 age group, the coach/parent should be positive and encouraging of each child.
Specific soccer-related information should be limited to basic ideas of how to best keep the ball
from running out of bounds too often, as well as some simple ideas for maneuvering in tight
spaces and past opponents. Coaches should exclude discussions about positions or other team
concepts. When addressing technique, consider that kids learn much by watching and copying. A
good picture of proper technique can be a very powerful learning tool. Coaches should say things
such as, “See if you can make it look like this.” Limit time spent breaking down the mechanics.
Instead, try to do most of your teaching of technique by offering a picture and then set up fun
games where the objective of the game is for players to practice certain ways to control the ball.
This approach allows the player a certain amount of freedom to develop their ball control and
accept that there is more than one way of doing it. This is applicable at least through U-12.
U.S. Soccer recommends that there be no organized matches at this age. Consistently set up mini
games at practice for your kids to compete with and against each other, according to their age.
There will be no need to keep score or even be very involved, except to enjoy the players and their
effort and joy. Every player should look forward to opportunities to have the ball at his or her feet

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and to score. It is the coach’s responsibility to encourage this fear-free culture. For the 7- and 8-
year-old groups, these games should only be seen as another fun activity that happens to include
a soccer ball. They are not ready for specific soccer type information and there should be no
emphasis on team concepts or positions. They will have plenty of opportunities to play in “real
soccer games,” as they get older. Most of the information from coaches during these times will
pertain to each player’s individual relationship with the soccer ball — to want it, how to find it,
deal with it, feel more comfortable with it, keep it close, etc.
This coach must clearly understand the capabilities and limitations of this age and appreciate
the power of learning by watching. He or she must have the ability to demonstrate or to use
older players to demonstrate.
No organized matches where the score is recorded.
Children at this age should not be participating in a mandatory soccer program and should be
free to participate at their own pace. There should not be a penalty or consequence for missing
practice and no discussion about “commitment.” An effort should be made to include any child
that wishes to play soccer. It is healthy and appropriate to group players according to ability
level, but movement between groups should be open and fluid in order to reflect changes in
ability and individual development from year to year or every six months.
I TRAVEL
None.
I TOURNAMENTS, FESTIVALS, ETC
None.
None.

CONSIDER THIS: How can the coach help all his or her players to develop to their potential?
First, help your weaker players to develop their confidence with the ball. At the same time,
continue to challenge your stronger players to expand their creativity and confidence.
Confidence is the key. The more time they spend during practice and games with the ball at
their feet, the more comfortable they will become, the more confident they will become, the
more they will look to get involved, and the more fun they will have with soccer.
Remember that the level of skill and competence that a 9-year-old exhibits is no indication of
the skill and competence that he or she will exhibit at 16 or 18 years of age.You cannot predict
which 9-year-old will develop into a real player. Therefore, work to encourage all your players
to be competent and comfortable with the ball. This will give all your players the same
opportunity to reach their potential.
Work during practice to move all your players forward at their own pace. Do not be concerned
with match results. Be concerned that all your players want the ball at their feet and they want
to score. If you can accomplish this, you have successfully allowed your group to grow as
soccer players. Unlike practice, you cannot add more balls/goals during games to give kids
more chances with the ball. But you can emphasize certain themes for the players to focus on,
such as getting involved, attacking the goal, taking chances, and then spend the length of the
game reinforcing these points. This approach will give your players the green light to
experiment and be creative - qualities that, unfortunately at the younger ages, are often
discouraged on game day, in the name of being safe and winning.

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BALL SKILL, CREATIVITY AND INSIGHT
Ball Skill, Creativity and
a Gradual Insight into the
Game: 10 - 14 years old
ACADEMY LEVEL:
U-10 through U-12 Age Groups
U-10: 3rd and 4th graders
Soccer for this age is a fun activity for the kids that encourages a lot of games to goals and
encourages experimentation with the ball. The ratio of balls to players should be small enough that
all your players are involved all the time. The focus is on developing a relationship with the ball
in a joyful environment. There should be no standings and no awards.
CONSIDER THIS: At the youth level, games are a forum for players to test their ball skills
and game awareness, and should be considered an additional means of development, rather
than the objective. Results are important as it gives the players a competitive focus in the
match. Coaches are encouraged to promote soccer that:
• is free flowing,
• is coach-guided, not coach-directed,
• demands that all players on the field, regardless of their specified position, participate in
defending and attacking.
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: A maximum of 6 v 6 including a goalkeeper
Game Duration: 2 X 25 minutes
Substitution: Free
GK Status: Players rotate as goalkeeper in game. All players should
experience playing all the different spots on the field during the season.
Field Size: 60 yards x 40 yards
Ball Size: 4

USSOCCER.COM20
I SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS AGE
At this age, there are some children that are becoming more physically mature. Among your
group, there are now some bigger and faster players whose eye-hand and eye-foot coordination is
a little ahead of the majority of your players. Some of your players may also demonstrate a greater
capacity to stay focused for longer periods of time. At the same time, they are still people of action
rather than thought. Explanations must still be brief, concise and purposeful. What seemed to
make sense to them last practice may have to be almost relearned at the next practice. Care should
be taken with players, regardless of athletic ability, to address ball skill, especially in tight spaces.
The faster, stronger players should not be encouraged to use their athleticism to solve all their
problems. Building comfort with the ball at ages nine and ten will provide them with a variety of
crucial tools they will need as they get older, and the level of ball skill and athleticism rises. Begin
to introduce the players to the idea of thinking about their decisions and movement as being
related to themselves and one or at most two of their teammates and one or two of their opponents.
A Discussion on Winning
and Losing at these Younger Ages
Competition is a central element in a player’s development. At the youth level (ages 6-12),
however, a competitive environment should not be a result-oriented environment. The differences
must be clear. A competitive environment at the youth level encourages decisions from player and
coach alike that focus on performance rather than outcome (favoring ball skill and inventiveness
as the means to find success within the rules and spirit of the game). The result is just one indicator
of performance and at this age, not the most important one.
Competition among kids playing games will always exist, whether adults are present or not.
Making soccer “fun” at the younger ages does not mean that competition is removed. Competition
can be positive and healthy. Scoring goals and winning the game are fundamental parts of soccer.
Allow the children to enjoy this aspect without making it the focus. Set up other skill based
objectives as the focal point. At the same time, recognize that children will find competition in
anything you set up. Let them compete. In youth and junior level soccer, the emphasis and manner
of the coach will often determine if the competitive environment is healthy or not.
At the youth level, matches are important as a means to player development (enjoyment, ball skill,
insight, and fitness), not as the aim. These competitive situations are a series of tests for kids. In
this respect, the usefulness of the game can occur in many different forms. Focus on the process
and performance rather than the outcome, but be prepared for the possibility that your team may
lose some games in the short term with this approach. Keep in mind that it is actually easier to win
games at this age group with teams that are “organized” but lack skill. Placing the more physically
mature players down the middle of the field and just asking players to ‘kick it down the middle’

or only allowing players to specialize at one position may lead to more victories. This approach,
however, does not effectively teach the players the game and prepare them to continue on in the
sport. Instead, a skillful approach to playing soccer should be emphasized, even though this may
result in conceding goals or losing games in the short term. During the learning process, ball
control and passing can lead to more costly mistakes. At the same time, the coach can manipulate
the level and variety of the competition to ensure that players and teams are being given the
opportunity to win and to lose games. Valuable lessons can be learned in both scenarios. In the
end, it is still the responsibility of the coach and the parents, to manage how competition is
addressed and managed among his or her players.
I GOALS FOR PRACTICE, GAMES AND SEASON
Building the player’s skill base continues to be the most important goal of the season. At this age,
this can be done through the introduction of a few more players in the games the coach sets up.
Depending on the skill level of the group, anywhere from 3 v 3 to 5 v 5 plus goalkeepers should
be the range during practice. Keep in mind that even the more competent players will not be
working effectively as a group once the numbers get beyond 5 v 5. In the smaller numbers,
emphasis must still be on creating 1 v 1 or 2 v 1 duels on the field. These are key situations that
will continue to confront players throughout their career. Gaining competence and mastery over
these numbers is the key to preparing players for the future.
What I hear I forget,
What I hear and see I remember a little;
What I hear, see and ask questions about
or discuss with someone else, I begin
to understand;
What I hear, see, discuss and do, I acquire
knowledge and skill;
What I teach to another, I master.
(Adapted from the Chinese Philosopher Confucius)
CONSIDER THIS: U.S. Soccer recommends that teams play in double age group brackets.
This allows players to play with other players of similar ability. Instead of one team of 10 year
olds and one team of 11 year olds, there are two teams of mixed ages, with each player
participating according to his ability. Additionally, up through the U-14 age group, teams
should play in their own age bracket. After the U-14 age bracket, teams should be allowed to
choose their age bracket based upon the level of competition.

USSOCCER.COM22
I PRACTICE
Keep the sessions simple and player centered. Give the players simple problem solving
opportunities and plenty of opportunities to score goals. It is also important to be positive and to
continue to create repeated opportunities for the players to express themselves through their ability
with the ball, regardless of the outcome of their effort. Play, as both fun and as competition, is
paramount. The more opportunities for each player to have experience with the ball, in fun games
that allow them to go to goal, the better it will be for that player.
CONSIDER THIS FOR AGES 8 TO 14: How do you set up a practice that allows players
to “do”? How can a coach pull together the various games into an organized practice?
First, keep things simple. Include no more than three or four exercises. For example, begin with
a warm up that incorporates players moving with the ball. Then move to a game, but introduce
a particular challenge or set of challenges for the players to solve (4 v 4 game with four goals;
4 v 4 game with no goalkeepers, where the players must hit the net on the fly to score a goal;
4 v 4 dribbling game; 4 v 4 with neutral players; etc.). Each of these games differs slightly in
the challenges that are highlighted. However, the games still retain the essential qualities of
soccer: attacking, defending, dribbling, passing, dealing with teammates and opponents, and
scoring goals. Finally, let them play a game, 3 v 3, 4 v 4, 5 v 5, or 6 v 6 etc., (depending on
their age and ability to deal with these numbers), where there are no particular twists to the
game, but where you can verbally emphasize and encourage players to experiment and take
risks confronting some of these challenges your practice has been addressing. To help ensure
that your practice will add to your players’ development, consider the following principles,
questions and examples.
• Do your players have repeated opportunities to have the ball at their feet?
• Do they have repeated chances to score goals?
• Are they asked to dribble and score in soccer situations? A soccer situation is one that
includes the ball, opponents, teammates, space, pressure, rules, time and goals (KNVB:
The Dutch Vision On Youth Football).
• Are your players having fun? Generally speaking, if players have a lot of opportunities to
play with the ball at their feet, and to score goals in games that replicate soccer, they will
have fun.
• How many players are involved? 4 v 4 is the smallest way of playing soccer without
losing any of the ingredients that make up soccer. There are always opportunities to play

deep, wide or backwards because of the numbers. Players are always confronted with
match situations. Also, due to the limited numbers, it is easier for children (and coaches)
to recognize the different moments in soccer that are constantly repeated (KNVB: The
Dutch Vision On Youth Football). Some of the variations of the 4 v 4 game have already
been introduced. The basic 4 v 4 game is set up on a field that is small enough to keep
everyone involved, and big enough to give players room to be successful with the ball.
There is one ball and two small goals, one on each end line. The elements of soccer the
coach chooses to encourage will color the game somewhat. The power of 4 v 4, however,
is that even with little or no involvement by the coach, these small games offer the players
countless valuable soccer lessons. Adding players and increasing the field space
accordingly will both increase options for the players as well as present new challenges.
• How big is the field? Are the players able to stay connected in your game/exercise? Does
the size of the field lend itself to what you are working on? Again, the field should be small
enough to keep everyone involved yet big enough to give players room to be successful
with the ball. You may find that your first try at setting up the field dimensions does not
work. It may be either too small and the kids can’t get anything going, or it may be so big
that the game seems to be played in pockets of two or three players while everyone else
watches from a distance. Go ahead and experiment with the field size until you are
comfortable. With coaches, as it is with players, learning occurs through trial and error.
• Are there enough balls/goals so that many players are able to get touches on the ball and
chances at goal? Go ahead and experiment: add/remove ball/goals, increase/decrease the
field size to help replicate the soccer environment you want. For example, an exercise
designed to give your players lots of opportunities to run with the ball at their feet may
result in the same few players dominating ball touches because of uneven talent levels.
Instead of telling them they should pass to a less talented teammate, add some more balls
and maybe some more goals to your game. This allows more players to experience the
soccer situation you want replicated. Do not worry that it may look somewhat chaotic, or
that it is difficult to keep score. Just focus on whether or not your players are getting
repeated chances to run with the ball, deal with opponents and score goals. If this is
happening, then you have successfully added to your players’ soccer experience.
• How long is your exercise? Can the players maintain their focus and discipline
throughout? If not, make adjustments. Something that can help the coach anytime an
exercise is not working is to give the kids a quick water break. It will give you an
opportunity to make the needed adjustments, or to move on to the next exercise. Perhaps
the exercise is not the problem. Maybe it is a short attention span day for your team of 10-
year-olds. Don’t fight it. Use your breaks wisely. Keep things moving and stay alert for
waning concentration.

USSOCCER.COM24
Practices should consist of no more than 60 minutes of structured, adult-directed soccer with an
additional 30 minutes allotted for free play/self expression and self-improvement.
As much as possible let players experience soccer through 3 v 3 to 5 v 5 games that last for no
more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. The small numbers allow the players to gain critical practice
at 1 v 1 and 2 v 1 situations, while still allowing for the fun and feel of a soccer game. The time
limit gives the players a predetermined amount of uninterrupted play, while also allowing an
opportunity after 10 minutes for the players to refocus. At this age, players are typically ready for
games or activities that help them learn when to play the ball sideways and backward. They also
can begin to appreciate and enjoy playing the game skillfully.
Players at this age should be limited to a few organized matches per season, and they should
require little or no travel. Remember, these are young children who have several more years to
go before they will have all the tools needed to attempt soccer in the adult form. The best path
to truly preparing them for the adult game is not have them practice at playing the adult game;
rather it is by giving them repeated opportunities to experience soccer in a more manageable
form for their age.
A team of 9 year olds who hold their positions and maintain a steady group of defenders who
rarely, if ever venture into the attack, looks like a well disciplined and well organized team.
However, U.S. Soccer does not recommend this as a proper approach to developing players at this
age. It does not develop good soccer players. This approach hinders the player’s ability to
experience and enjoy the natural spontaneity of the game. It does not allow the players to have an
equal opportunity to go and “find” the game based on what they see from the game or to handle
• How long is your practice? Do your players finish practice wishing to play longer, or does
your practice seem to unravel in the last 20 minutes or so? Make the practice as fun as
possible. This means a lot of playing soccer, some water breaks when necessary, and little
or no talking. Many times players are less than interested in a lecture about the finer points
of the game. Keep in mind that young players have shorter attention spans than adults; do
not treat them like adults. Forty-five minutes is a good length of time for six and seven
year olds to be playing soccer in an organized practice. One hour to seventy-five minutes
is best for players up to twelve years old. Anything longer and you are setting yourself up
for aggravation that neither you nor your players deserve.

the ball and develop instincts for the game. These are skills that they will need at the older ages
and that are often lacking in the older players. This approach, while “successful” in the short term
fails the players in the long run because the environment does not allow the players to develop the
tools they will need to be truly “competitive” i.e., prepared to deal with the game, at the older ages
A Discussion on Substitution
Patterns at this Age:
Players should be given the opportunity to play soccer for extended, uninterrupted periods of time.
This allows them to get a better feel for the flow of a soccer game. For example, it is more
beneficial for a player to play for 12 straight minutes, than for him or her to play in two 6 minute
periods. Substitution should be used to address injury, fatigue and lack of effort. It should not be
used to punish a player for a soccer-related decision. At a minimum, players at this age should be
playing 50% of the game. Ideally, the rosters are small enough to allow for close to 100% playing
time for everyone.
I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION THAT IS COMMUNICATED TO THE
PLAYERS BY THE COACH
The coach should make comments that help players to stay involved and keep track of things
without giving them all of the answers: “Join the game,” “Find the ball,” “Go get the ball,” “Don’t
hide.” The coach for this age group does not focus on positions, yet encourages everyone to take
CONSIDER THIS: Do You Notice an Uneven Skill Level within Your Team?
Often times on younger teams (8-10 years) you will notice a small number of relatively
competent players per team who always seem to be around the ball. They have some quality(s),
speed, strength, tenaciousness, and ball skill, that separate them from their teammates. The rest
of the kids are more like on-field spectators, never actively seeking to participate. If the ball does
land at their feet, they look to get it as far away from themselves as possible, as quickly as
possible. A consistent problem for the youth coach and players is that the ability level on a team
is very uneven. This is a normal situation for most younger teams across the country, especially,
but not limited to the recreation level. There are several reasons for this imbalance: 1) Children
start playing at different ages. There could be first-timers playing alongside kids who have been
playing for several seasons. 2) Children in this age bracket develop at different rates, both
physically and emotionally. 3) For many kids who lack the basic soccer tools, a full-out match
can be intimidating. To address this challenge, try playing games with 3 balls going at one time.
Another option is to be creative when choosing your groups for ‘mini-games,’ putting the more
confident players together playing against each other and the more developing players playing
in a different area. Occasionally using these methods will allow for all of the players to be
challenged at a level that is appropriate to their own developmental level.

USSOCCER.COM26
part in attacking and defending. Try to manage the amount of information or feedback your
players are receiving immediately after practices or matches. In today’s youth soccer landscape,
kids at these ages are being overloaded with adult feedback and evaluation. Too much or
inaccurate information can be counterproductive to your goals.
CONSIDER THIS: At the latter stages of the youth level (U-10 through U-12), the goal is to
provide training and game environments that promote the continued growth of ball skill, an
increased game awareness, and an appreciation for taking calculated risks in the attack through
the 3 v 3 to 9 v 9 (U-12) game model, all in an environment that the players enjoy.
The small-sided game model is an effective method for developing ball skill and game
awareness because it increases opportunities for players to have contact with the ball and to
both attack and defend without the tactical regimentation that can occur in 11 v 11 soccer.
Energetic. Plays while facilitating practice. Stimulates ideas.
It is recommended that players play up to 20 matches per calendar year for their clubs. There
should be a ratio of 2 or 3 practices per one match. Players should be given two days rest per
week. In league play, there should be no more than the equivalent of 1 game per weekend.
There should be no standings or post season playoffs and a limited number of small-sided
round robins. Tournament play should not be encouraged.
At these ages, it is recommended that parents discourage their children from specializing in or
playing only soccer and encourage participation in a number of different sports and activities.
I TRAVEL
In state travel only with a 1 hour maximum travel time.
I TOURNAMENTS, FESTIVALS, ETC.
May attend a few jamborees or festivals per year where no results are compiled.
None.

U-12: 5th - 6th graders
Some Thoughts about This Age
The U-12 age group seems to be the moment in youth soccer that causes the most discussion
concerning player development. Are these players young adults or are they still children? As
soccer players, they are still young. Although there are some areas of the game where the players
are beginning to make progress, this is an age where ball skill and soccer instincts must be
encouraged above the results.
Physically, eleven and twelve year olds’ bodies are beginning to change. Often, this results in
awkward growth spurts. Rapid bone growth often results in painful joint conditions such as
Osgood-Schlotters syndrome in the knees. Players that, in the past, showed precise control over
their bodies and the ball will sometimes now temporarily lose this coordination. As their bodies
grow, especially the 11-year-olds, they will also need more rest. The coach may also find the 11-
year-old to be somewhat contrary and oppositional. Typically by 12 years old, children are
regaining some of the coordination and compliance that was temporary lost at 11. Generally at this
age, there is more enthusiasm and ability to focus their energy toward both individual and team
challenges. Coaches can use this enthusiasm and focus to their advantage by giving the players
specific problems to solve within the games they play.
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 9 v 9
Game Duration: 2 X 30
Substitution: Free
GK Status: GK share time in order of priority
Field Size: 50-55x70 yards for 8v8 (U-11) and 55-60x80-85 yards for 9v9 (U-12)
Ball Size: 4

USSOCCER.COM28
The Onset of Puberty
Between the ages of 12 to 14, children often experience a physical growth spurt that affects their
balance and coordination. Oftentimes, they gain physical strength and power, but temporarily lose
agility and suppleness. As soccer players, this means potentially losing some control over the ball.
If the technical foundation is not strong, soccer is no longer fluid and fun for the players. It is at
CONSIDER THIS:
The Football Association (FA), the governing body of English football, has made the following
recommendations regarding the Football Academy program, which targets the top young
players in England and is run as a mandatory developmental arm of the top professional league
in England (the English Premier League –EPL):
* Players aged 12 to 18 should play a maximum of 30 games per year with their club.
* No 11-a-side soccer until age 12.
* The level of competition should be compatible with the player's colleagues and opposition.
(e.g., Not so difficult that success is not an option, and not so easy that the players become
unmotivated.)
* Clubs and coaches should take care that players: Play alongside, and against, boys of a
comparable standard, enabling them to put into practice skills learned during the week in an
environment where they will be stretched.
* Play in a competitive environment where quality of performance is more important than
results.
* The facilities (field size, ball, etc.) and match officials should also be compatible with the
player's ability.
* The atmosphere surrounding this program should emphasize the role of matches as part of a
development program in which the result is not of primary importance. The coaching staff
should use the match program to reinforce the key aspects of the player's individual technical
development.
* The number of games per season must be limited to a maximum of 30 and as the number of
games will be limited to 30, it is important that none of them are wasted.
(www.theFA.com)

this point that these players may move toward sports where it is easier for them to achieve some
level of success – more traditionally American sports that demand “hand-eye” coordination such
as baseball, basketball and lacrosse. It is critical, therefore, that we ensure that the players are
getting the necessary technical foundation at the younger ages. This may prevent the loss of
players during their middle school years who are capable and athletic, yet lack the foundation to
pull them through their temporary physical awkwardness.
Practices should consist of up to 75 minutes of structured, adult-guided soccer with an additional
15 to 30 minutes allotted for free play/self expression and self-improvement.
The themes addressed in practice should be developed and expanded on from those that they dealt
with at the U-10 level. Each practice should address individual ball skill as well as individual and
small group decisions, in the attack and when defending. As they mature and are capable of
keeping track of more things that are occurring on the field, we can increase the number of players
that compete against each other.
The most dramatic change from the U-10 age group is the players increased ability to stay focused
and to begin taking responsibility for their decisions on the field. At the same time, this is still an
eleven- or twelve- year old. While his or her concentration is better than a ten-year-old, it is still
in no way that of an adult. Make sure that the game problems that are created for him or her to
solve are still relatively simple (up to 6 v 6 or 7 v 7). Continue to encourage risk taking and
experimenting with the ball, but begin to get them thinking about themes such as working together
with his or her teammates to solve problems, as well as getting him or her used to keeping track
of the other players on the field.
As far as positions are concerned, players should learn the game based on principles of the game
rather than positions on the field. Players’ decisions on the field should be based on what makes
sense to them in the game. Let the players experience different positions and the different
challenges that these positions create. If children are placed into the straightjacket of positional
play too early it will only destroy their instincts to be involved in the game.
As they move to the full-sided game at the U-14 age and beyond, the eventual and ideal goal, at
the senior level, is for all the players to be able to keep track of all the other players on the field
and then to deal effectively with the situations that evolve out of these relationships. The coach
can create or eliminate the conditions of time and space based on how effectively players are able
to cope with the conditions of the game.
CONSIDER THIS: Great skill begins with the desire to master the ball and the key elements
of the game.

USSOCCER.COM30
The game continues to be about individual ball control. At the same time, players should begin
thinking of their decisions and movement as being related to their teammates and opponents in
numbers up to 8 v 8 (not including GK). Matches should be played in numbers no larger than 9
v 9 (including GK).
Matches are a forum for players to test their ball skills and game awareness and should be
considered an additional means of development, rather than the objective. Results play a role in
development as it gives the players a competitive focus in the match. In this environment, there
needs to be room for trial and error.
Coaches are encouraged to promote soccer that is free flowing, is coach-guided but not coach-
directed, and demands that all players on the field, regardless of their specified position,
participate in defending and attacking.
“As coaches, we need to constantly reassess the technical demands that the game places on
our players and continue to teach them as the level of the game increases. Often times the
essence of coaching is in identifying those technical areas that a player needs to improve,
regardless of the age or level the player is playing at.”
John Hackworth
U-17 Youth National Team Head Coach
The coach of 11 and 12 year olds is responsible for encouraging and directing the enthusiasm of
these ages towards attacking, technical and thoughtful soccer. All players should be encouraged to
see their own role in the attack and the defense. Specifically, getting players to understand and
recognize numbers up, even numbers and numbers down situations and the appropriate decisions
based on each scenario. Keep in mind, where one player will view a 1 v 1 attacking situation as
no advantage or a disadvantage, another may see this same scenario as a big advantage. Encourage
each player based on his or her abilities, while at the same time, encourage all your players to
work toward seeing 1 v 1, as both attacker and defender, as an advantage.

“What is good for a football manager is when a child who grows up in Japan likes to kick a
ball as much as a child who grows up in France. And to find that pleasure as you travel all
over the world is something that is still, for me, magical, that , how could it be that all over
the world – you can go to China, you can go to Japan or France and give a kid the ball, and
he is happy? And that explains the success of our game… (you must try in your) training
sessions to give that joy to the people who practice, and you know you don’t necessarily need
to speak the language. You give the players the possibility to express themselves – like when
they were kids, and they become happy and they play.”
Arsene Wenger
Arsenal FC Manager
I BEST QUALITIES OF A COACH FOR THIS AGE PLAYER:
Sensitive teacher, enthusiastic, possess soccer awareness, ability to demonstrate or utilize
someone whom can paint a good picture (older player, assistant coach). Possess knowledge of the
key factors of basic skills. Give encouragement. Have an appreciation for the relationship or
connection between individual skill and small group insight, and the players’ eventual success at
the older ages and the larger game model of 11 v 11.
CONSIDER THIS: “If your team is winning most or all of its games at this age, you as
a coach are probably doing something wrong.” – Gerry McKeown, Technical Director of
Player Development Academy (PDA) New Jersey
Care must be taken at the younger levels to select players based on their soccer abilities and
not on their ability to achieve an immediate result. At the U-12 level, it is easy to win games
by just using physically big players who have matured earlier than their peers. As a result, the
smaller, skillful players are at times not chosen, as they are not able to “win” the game. Special
care and attention must be given to these “smaller” players. At the same time, special care must
also be given to the physically more mature players in developing their technical skill, and their
ability to maneuver with the ball in tight spaces. As coaches, we always need to keep an idea
on the long-term development of all the players.

USSOCCER.COM32
CONSIDER THIS: Manchester United’s Academy U-18 team, along with the rest of the
English Premier League Academy teams, play a 27-30 game league schedule that begins in
mid August and finishes in mid April. That’s 27-30 games over the course of 9 months or 36
weeks, or less than one game per week, with 3 months of no matches.
should be a ratio of 2 or 3 practices per one match and players should be given two days rest
per week.
Players should be given time off from organized soccer each year.
I TRAVEL
Travel should be limited to day trips with two overnight events per calendar year. No standings
or awards.
Tournament–like events should be limited to competitions that are organized into a round robin
format.
A statewide 9 v 9 competition where each team plays a predetermined number of matches
should be encouraged. Matches should be played on appropriately sized fields and with a size
4 ball.
No regional or national competitions.

HOW TO FUNCTION IN A GROUP
How to Function in a Group:
14 - 16 years old
JUNIOR LEVEL: Teenage Years
“Skill is executing great ideas. The rest is just technique.”
Some Thoughts About This Age
This becomes the transitional age into the adult game. The match form should be 11 v 11 and there
begins to be a greater focus on how ball skill and decisions influence success on the field.
At this point, there is a clear difference between the emotional and physical maturity of a 13-year-
old and an 18-year-old. While there is not a big difference between the way a 13-year-old or an
18-year-old processes information (thinking and problem solving), keep in mind that the 13-year
old is just beginning to think at this level. In contrast, an 18-year old will have more experience
and confidence in his or her ability to think and problem solve in this manner.
13-year-old children are now less certain about themselves, less communicative, and somewhat
more vulnerable. They are now more focused on their friends and begin to view themselves as
being somewhat separate from their parents. They are also stronger physically and are more aware
of what their bodies can do (speed, strength, appearance).
The 14-year-old is typically becoming more outgoing and confident and loves competition. He or
she is also increasingly more able to plan, think ahead, and to imagine options. Coaches can have
more discussion about the “what if…”
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 11 v 11
Game Duration: 2 X 35
Substitution: No re-entry in half
GK Status: GK chosen based on ability
Field Size: 100 yards x 60 yards
Ball Size: 5

USSOCCER.COM34
From now on the matches are full-sided 11 v 11 games. It is at the U-14 age group that coaches
should begin to focus somewhat on team issues, such as how the backs work together in different
parts of the field, or the relationship between the different lines of the team (defenders and mid-
fielders, mid-fielders and forwards, etc.). As the players graduate to the junior level, they should
possess a comfort with the ball and an insight into the game that will allow them to deal with the
increased pace of the game, both in athletic speed and speed of decisions. The goal at this point
in a player’s development is to begin expanding his or her understanding of the game as their
technical and game maturity allows. Again, this is accomplished through the small-sided game
model for practice (up through 9 v 9 games) and the full-sided game for matches. The graduation
to the full-sided game model should be a logical and subtle step. The ideas and principles that
apply to the smaller game models continue to apply to the bigger game. The outcome of the game
at this age is still largely determined by ball skill and game insight.
At these ages, ball skills, enjoyment and insight into the game, with a gradual introduction to
fitness, mental toughness, and results are the keys. Success in winning matches should begin to be
the product of a consistent and systematic approach to the game that focuses more on player
development than on team building. The players should be developing an understanding and
familiarity with each other on the field, but the desire to get a result on Saturday should not
hamper their instincts for the game, or their desire to experiment and explore the game. These
players are a long way from being “complete.” Encourage them to play in different positions.
Don’t pigeonhole players based only on what is best for getting the result. Balance your players
match experiences so that some games will allow you to experiment without necessarily
sacrificing the result.
Practice should be 75 to 90 minutes long
At this point, most of the exercises and games that the players play in practice should be
competitive, with a winning and losing team(s). Their focus should be on how their decisions and
their ball skill help or hinder their team’s ability to win at whatever game or exercise that they play.
Two critical and interrelated themes in every practice should be recognizing when and how to get
the ball out of pressure with the goal of getting forward and recognizing when and how to win the
ball back, both as an individual and as a group. Games and exercises should be set up that
encourage players to make decisions based on the cues and clues that exist in the game. Players
should experience a variety of games, from 4 v 4 to 8 v 8: some with and some without
CONSIDER THIS: Too many matches and too much soccer desensitize players to the special
quality of the match and the concept of “match day.”

goalkeepers, some to small goals, some to large goals, some with 2 goals and some with 4 to 6 small
goals. Each set up will encourage different challenges for the players to address – all within the basic
framework of keeping the ball and winning the ball back – and going to goal, and winning the game.
The coach needs to consider the players’ technical development because without sound
technique, good ideas on the field are useless. Putting players in small-sided games where they
have to solve a problem by application of their technique is a critical part of training this age. At
times, success or failure in these games and this environment are the direct result of the players’
ability with the ball.
An important theme for this age, therefore, is to address the player’s accountability for his or her
decisions and ball skill as he or she and their team look to find ways to win their game. Figuring
out how and when to keep the ball or when to go forward, as well as how and when to win the ball
back are basic themes where this accountability can be addressed. Within each game that the
coach sets up for the players, this can be accomplished by focusing on speed of play and the ability
to solve problems in competitive situations. In general, most players this age who are playing at a
competitive club level are technically good and can solve problems well in slower games or
isolated situations. When the demands of the game and the speed of play increase, many have a
hard time mastering the ball, staying tuned in, seeing enough, and making sense of their plays. By
placing players in competitive situations i.e., faster games, these aspects improve dramatically
over time. If the players are not held accountable for their decisions or if the environment is not
challenging or competitive enough to punish players for their mistakes, then the players run the
risk of developing bad habits that may hinder their long term development.
In training sessions play small-sided games with different demands and challenges. The games should
be fast. To keep up with the speed of play, good technical ability and habits on and off the ball are
necessary. The players need to stay tuned in mentally, to read the game, deal with the demands of the
game, and to make decisions that help their team win. The goal is to help their personalities to grow and
for them to begin to solve problems as a group. Therefore, give the players some freedom to make
decisions, to solve problems, and to experiment with the game. Be more concerned with them
developing into better players who can figure out how to win than with telling them exactly what to do.
I SOCCER AGE AND CHRONOLOGICAL AGE OF YOUR PLAYERS
A child’s biological age is an important factor determining age-appropriate tasks. However, the
reality of Youth and Junior soccer is that, with its emphasis on team play, match results and
competition, the American player is often graduating to the next level of soccer without having the
proper tools. They are moving to this next phase of the game based on their biological age ( their
age in years), without regard for their “soccer age” (their level of soccer development). Coaches
at the U-12 level for example, may voice frustration at their players’ inability to “figure out” tasks
and concepts such as team possession and team defending. Consider a student in Trigonometry
class who is being introduced to concepts like sine and cosine. Imagine how difficult this will be
for the student to “figure out” if he/she had not been properly taught the fundamentals of math –
addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The student might even understand some

USSOCCER.COM36
trigonometric concepts, but lack the basic tools to work out a correct solution. This student
should not have been promoted to this next level of math. It is the same in soccer. The success
of each new skill and concept is based upon skills and concepts already learned. The more
comfortable a player is with the ball, the more options he/she will have to solve each soccer
challenge he/she faces.
The age-appropriate phases outlined in this are not set in stone. Each individual player develops
at his or own pace, often irrespective of their age in years. The soccer ability of some of your
players will match the age-appropriate phases that are outlined in this document. Some will lag
behind and some will be ahead.
When evaluating your players, it is important that you don’t confuse your players’ biological age,
with their “soccer age.” Each player’s “soccer age” is unique to the individual. Your player’s
“soccer age” depends on several factors: 1) The rate of each individual’s emotional and physical
growth. 2) The frequency that they are playing soccer. 3) The soccer environment they are in
(encouraging or discouraging individual creativity and comfort with the ball).
As a coach, therefore, it is critical that you are constantly evaluating and re-evaluating your
players’ soccer ability. If your players’ skills do not match the demands of the corresponding age-
appropriate phase outlined in this document, it is your responsibility to adjust their soccer “diet,”
based on their “soccer age.” In some cases, for example, this may mean that a 16 year old player
spends time addressing skills, or playing in numbers that seem more appropriate for a 12 year old.
One thing is certain; the more comfortable your players become with the ball, the quicker and
easier that they and you can expand their game to include new skills and tactical concepts.
I GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN MATCHES:
Although the 13 and 14 year old begin to resemble adults, they are still far from a complete player.
Players must continue to focus on individual and small group ideas. This can be accomplished by
focusing on “the game within the game.” Find themes on which to focus that – when taken
together and accomplished with skill – add up to successful soccer. There should be some
attention to organization, but the focus should be more on the smaller group relationships on the
field, i.e., how the backs work together or how the backs work with the mid fielders, or how
players can pressure the ball in 3’s and 4’s. The match continues to be the place for these players
to develop their instincts for the game. Mistakes on the field should be errors of commission
rather than errors of omission. It should not be the place for them to “play scared” or “safe.”
Coaches should encourage big picture themes such as staying connected with the rest of the
team, as well as more focused idea like encouraging players to find ways to get past opponents
– either individually or in groups. For example, on a given match day, the coach can encourage
counting passes, or counting how often a dangerous ball is served into the box. The coach can
even reward the team after the game based on how many of these plays they pulled off. At some
point, as the players get better at these smaller pieces of the game, winning becomes the more
consistent by-product.

A Discussion About the Team Meeting
The team meeting, especially at the U-14 level and older, can be a very effective tool for helping
players take more responsibility and ownership for the process and their own development
Often, the team meeting at the youth level takes the form of a lecture. Coaches should be careful
not to turn these learning opportunities into one-way discussions. Players will only remain
engaged and focused as long as they are interested in the topic. A great way to keep them listening
and learning is to get them involved in the conversation.
With this approach, the meetings become open discussions where the coaches throw out questions
about the day, the game or the training session, and see what ideas or thoughts the players have.
Sometimes the coach’s questions address principles of defending, principles of attacking, how
goals are scored, or what competing means.
Some questions to start the discussion could include: What makes a good player? What we would
do differently if we had the game all over again? The coach could ask the players to talk about
who played well, for both teams. Why or how well did we execute our game plan? How well were
we able to play “our game”? What influenced our ability to get our game going? And so on.
The point of these meetings is to encourage players to think and reflect, not to just show up and
be told what to do or how to play. Rather it is an opportunity to start to see the game in a different
light by talking about it, expressing how you feel on the field at different times and so on. The goal
for the coaches, in all aspects of our interactions with our players, is to prepare them to be
competent soccer players. One important aspect of this objective is to help the players become
independent thinkers on the field. Allowing them and helping them to think critically about the
game is a vital step in the process. The team meeting, when it actually involves the team, can help
to move this process along.
CONSIDER THIS: Matches are important as a means to player development (enjoyment,
ball skill, insight, and fitness), not as the aim. In this respect, the usefulness of the game can
occur in many different forms, from the 4 v 4 to the full-sided match model. Even at the senior
level, the game still offers opportunities for growth, however the weight of balance between
factors such as enjoyment, ball skill, insight, fitness and results shift more toward the latter.
The U-14 coach should have a firm grasp of both the youth game and the junior game. He or
she should have an appreciation for creativity and independent thinking. At the same time, he
or she should be able to communicate group and team themes to the players in a clear and
simple manner.
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USSOCCER.COM38
U-16: 9th & 10th graders
General Thoughts about this age
By 15 and 16 years old, players should be comfortable dealing with the ball in a variety of
situations. With this in mind, the coach should look to address several issues over the course of
the two year cycle that address how basic tactical issues can influence the game:
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 11 v 11
Game Duration: 2 X 40 / 2 X 45
Substitution: No re-entry
Field Size: 115 yards x 70 yards / 120 yards x 70 yards (minimum)
Ball Size: 5
It is recommended that players play up to 30 matches for their clubs per calendar year. There
should be a ratio of 2 or 3 practices per one match.
Players should be given two days rest per week.
State Cup and Regional Cup.
No national championship.
Players should be given breaks from organized soccer that includes at least one extended break
each year.
I TRAVEL
Players should be allowed to travel to competitions within their region.
Players should be allowed to compete in state and regional competitions. Ideally, a three game
event should be played over a five day period to allow for a day of rest and recovery between
each game. At a minimum, a three game event should be played over a four day period to allow
for a day of rest and recovery between the second and third games.

(1) Small group ideas on both sides of the ball (Moving forward together on the attack,
realistic pressure, and how to help your team win the ball back).
(2) How the small group ideas tie into larger team concepts. Such as the similarities and
differences between high and low pressure, keeping your back line connected with your
attacking players during possession in your attacking half of the field, or rhythm of play
issues (when to speed up and when to slow down).
(3) Some basic positional responsibilities and how, as a team, these responsibilities are
interconnected. For example, how the backs share defensive responsibilities, how
decisions that the defending line makes are related to the decisions of the players in front
of them, or the role of the holding midfielder in your team’s possession.
(4) Accountability for their execution and decisions with the ball. Players at this age must
aspire to have technical precision. Players need to be made aware of how their ability to
collect and pass the ball has a direct impact on all aspects of the game.
Note: These concepts and goals are all based on the assumption that the players are good enough
with the ball to be able to begin dealing this next level of soccer. If they do not posses the requisite
skills to begin taking on these new challenges, it is the responsibility of the coach to make sure
they continue to work on the tools that they lack.
At the U-16 age coaches should continue to address principles and themes of the game in generic
situations i.e., not position-based, as well as in functional (positional) scenarios. Coaches can set
up small-sided games to multiple goals where players and teams (of 6’s or 7’s) are dealing with
pretty tight spaces, but with several goals. Defensively the players and teams are focusing on
getting pressure to the ball so that they limit the number of goals that they need to actively defend.
As these principles are being addressed, it should begin to make some sense to the players how to
translate these concepts into team issues, such as how the backs work together in different parts
of the field or the relationship between the different lines of the team (defenders and midfielders,
midfielders and forwards, etc.). Creating games where these larger team issues are introduced,
experienced and discussed is also important at this age.
“Ball control is the most important skill a young player could learn. Controlling the ball
will simply make the game easier to play and open up more options instantly. The great
thing about practicing ball control is that there are many different body parts and ways
to control the ball that could prove beneficial in a game. It’s the single skill I find myself
doing to this day on the practice field. I look for two things when I am controlling the ball:
I find the easiest way to control the ball and I control the ball in the direction that will
make my next pass as simple as possible.”
Claudio Reyna
Manchester City and Captain of the US Men’s National Team

USSOCCER.COM40
should be a ratio of 2 or 3 practices per one match. Players should be given two days rest per
week.
Breaks from organized soccer should be encouraged throughout year to avoid burnout.
Players should not be asked to play more than 160 minutes of soccer in any 72-hour period.
Ideally, a three game event should be played over a five day period to allow for a day of rest
and recovery between each game. At a minimum, a three game event should be played over a
four day period to allow for a day of rest and recovery between the second and third games.
Players should be allowed to compete in state and regional competitions.
Players at these ages still need to learn by experiencing the game. The majority of the game should
still be taught by putting the players in realistic soccer environments and allowing them to feel
their way through the challenges that the game presents to them. As much as possible, these
concepts and themes should be taught in competitions where the games or exercises end with a
winning and a losing team.
The matches should be an extension of the themes that are being addressed on a daily and weekly
basis. There should be an awareness by the players and a discussion prompted by the coach about
performance based on the players’ ability to recognize themes during the game, and the players’
technical ability to act on what they see.
Charismatic. Experienced. Knowledgeable. Articulate. Disciplinarian. Managerial know how.
Thoughtful persuader. An understanding of the 3 lines of the team and how each works as a
separate unit as well as part of the team as a whole
RECOMMENDED LICENSE: ‘B’ LICENSE OR HIGHER.

COMPETITION AND OUTCOME
Competition and Outcome:
17 years and older
SENIOR LEVEL: U-18 and ABOVE
General Thoughts for this age:
At this age, the technical blueprint of who the player will be as an adult soccer player is almost
complete. From here on, any growth is largely determined by how well the player has developed
up to this point. Most of the growth is fine-tuning the qualities that already exist. Areas that can
still be influenced greatly are game insight, physical conditioning and attitude.
In the rest of the world, this is the age where players are signing their first professional contracts
with their clubs. Their technical abilities and their “soccer sense” have placed them in a position
to begin making a living as a player. In this environment, however, they need to work everyday to
improve their game in order to keep their place on the team and to continue to advance up the line
to the senior team. Unfortunately, in the United States players are not consistently exposed to this
type of environment. As a result, American players, even at the regional and national level,
generally do not have the technical proficiency, game insight or disciplined approach that is
expected at this age, and/or for players who have been involved in playing soccer for the past ten
to twelve years of their lives.
GAME APPLICATION
Game Form: 11 v 11
Game Duration: 2 X 40 / 2 X 45
Substitution: No re-entry
Field Size: 115 yards x 70 yards / 120 yards x 70 yards (minimum)
Ball Size: 5

USSOCCER.COM42
With that said, coaches should continue to place consistent focus on these three areas of the
player’s game: technical proficiency and precision, game insight and the individual’s
responsibility for improving his or her game. There are also several match related tactical issues
on which the coach can now begin to place more focus. For example, playing different systems,
preparing for matches and employing tactics based on the strength of your opponent. Within each
of these match related tactical issues, comes a focus on general positional responsibilities as well
as specific positional roles, and how and when to pressure as a team, all of which are determined
by your system of play or the tactics used for your matches. Additionally, game management
issues, such as how to keep a lead in the final 15 minutes of a match or how to push for a draw or
a win in the 2nd half or in the final 15 minutes of a match become important themes to address.
Game Management
At these ages, players should be able to recognize the needs of a particular game and how to
make the appropriate adjustments. There are several recurring themes during the course of a game
that the coach can use to help the players focus their energies. For example, within each 45 minute
half, there are three often distinct 15 minute segments. The first 15 minutes is often a “feeling out”
period for both teams that is played at a fast pace, with neither team looking to take any chances
with the ball in their own end. In the second 15 minutes, the pace often lessens and the “style” of
the teams begins to take shape. In the final 15 minutes, fatigue is often a factor. With this in mind,
it is helpful for the players to have some specific themes to look for during the game. These
themes include, but are not limited to 1) the level of pressure by both teams, 2) the effect that
pressure is having on both teams, 3) our style and how well we are able to play “our” game, 4) the
style of the opponent, 5) which team is able to dominate the game, and in what manner is either
team finding success, 6) adjustments our team might need to make based on events in the game,
and 7) the effect that fatigue has on both teams in the final 15 minutes of both halves.
Regardless of the issues that the coach chooses to emphasize, it is important that they are
consistently addressed during practices and then reinforced during the games. In the end, it is all
about getting the players to think critically on the field so that they will be able to recognize for
themselves when they are at an advantage and when they are at a disadvantage, and then make
decisions based on what’s happening in the game."
Practices should always contain the following elements: competition, critical thinking and
technical repetition.
At this age, the physical (fitness) side of the game begins to play a larger role than before.
Practices and matches should continue to focus on improving the players’ understanding of the
tactical issues, such as how to control the rhythm of the game, as well as getting the group working
not only functionally within the group but also as 11 players moving together on both sides of the

COMPETITION AND OUTCOME
ball. Some time should also be spent addressing how players and the team manage the game. Not
only in terms of executing the game plan, but how to address different scenarios such as playing
in the final 15 or 20 minutes of a game with a lead, when the game is tied, or when your team is
losing.
Players must be challenged everyday to solve soccer problems. They must be held accountable for
their decisions and their performance. These players are ready for an increased level of problem
solving that focuses on using their soccer mind and not just their physical attributes. 17- and 18-
year-old players playing against more skillful teams or older teams on a regular basis will help
their development. Keep in mind that these older players should be better soccer players and not
just better athletes. There should be a continued emphasis on professional attitude including game
preparation, on and off field behavior, work ethic, individual fitness, dealing with health and
preventative issues of health, and spending time on technical issues to keep sharp.
All aspects of practice should involve player accountability. As mentioned earlier, U-18 players
will benefit from: 1) generic, non-functional exercises that emphasize principles of the game. 2)
More specific, functional exercises that address working together within a “line” of the team or
between “lines” of the team toward some soccer objective.
Non-functional, principle-based games address themes of the game through a variety of small-
sided games that challenge the players to recognize these themes in less “structured”
environments. An example of a generic, “principle-based” exercise is the 6 v 6 game with bumper
players on the side and end lines of the field which can be used to address group defending,
possession, speed of play, etc. The emphasis of the exercise can be manipulated by the conditions
and the rules. This one game can be played with no goals as a keep away game, with end line
targets to address rhythm of play as well as group and team defending and with big goals to focus
on attacking and defending issues that are created with big goals and goal keepers. All the while,
the bumper players offer outlet options while allowing the field space to remain relatively tight. In
this example, most of the coach’s teaching can be done as the ball is rolling or when the ball has
gone out of bounds. Another way for the coach to influence these exercises is to play several
games with a certain time limit for each game and discuss and make adjustments between games
or play a longer game with a 5-minute half time. This model is beneficial because it is closer to
how we coach in matches and it allows the players an uninterrupted amount of time to sort out the
game for themselves.
The most common example of a functional exercise at this level is some type of half field or three-
quarter sized field game that has one full sized goal and two “counter” goals. These exercises are
beneficial because the coach can address specific scenarios as they would occur in specific parts
of the field during a match. They also provide the coach and players with repeated opportunities

USSOCCER.COM44
to practice a particular issue. Finally, these exercises are a good way to address team issues when
the size of your roster doesn’t allow you to play 11 v 11. For example, attacking and defending
themes can be addressed beginning with 6 v 5 (4 defenders and a goalkeeper) and continuing to
the full game.
There are several points to consider that may impact the effectiveness of these exercises. 1) Even
though there are typically uneven numbers and a partial field with one full goal, try to make the
soccer as realistic and competitive as possible. Make sure that the amount of information that you
give is balanced by uninterrupted opportunities for the players to play. This means that,
occasionally, you need to allow the game to play for a certain amount of time, allowing for some
change of possession as well as restarts, etc. 2) Try to work with both groups somewhat equally.
If you are designing this exercise to work with your attacking group going to a big goal, have your
assistant coach address issues with the defending group such as establishing a point in their
defending half to “recover” to when they are able to get the ball out of their end. Likewise, they
can work on when to step and pressure and when to drop off and how to keep their back line active,
and within the back line – what is the position of their bodies and how can this influence their
ability to defend? These can all be addressed while the attacking team is also focusing on their
own issues.
The matches are the time for the players to apply the lessons from their week of practices, from
their most recent match and as well as from the season thus far. Most of the coach’s role in the
match occurred during the prior week. By game time, the coach’s role is to give the players some
organizational focus during the pre game period and then make the appropriate adjustments during
the match through substitutions and during the halftime break.
Charismatic; well informed; up to date; experienced; knowledgeable; articulate; disciplinarian; no
doubts about his/her authority and managerial know-how.
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Best Practices From US Soccer

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